Sepoy Iran was working with 175 Territorial Army. His bullet-ridden body was recovered from Wuthmula village on November 25.

"A Case FIR No 298/2017 of Police Station Shopian under section 302 RPC and 16 UA (P) act was registered and the investigation was taken up," a spokesperson said.

The spokesman said the investigation conducted so far has found that militants — Saddam Padder and Bilal Mohand — both residents of Heff, Touseef, a resident of Gadbugh, and a newly-recruited unidentified militant along with arrested accused Muzamil hatched a criminal conspiracy to kill Dar.

In pursuance of the criminal conspiracy, the spokesman said, on November 24, Muzamil went to the native village of Irfan and took him to Wuthmula where the above mentioned militants were already present in a nearby orchard.

The militants came out from the orchard and fired at Dar, killing him on the spot, he said. After executing the gruesome murder, all of them fled from the spot, the spokesman said.

He said police, on the basis of the evidence available, could unearth the entire chain of conspiracy and nabbed accused Muzamil. Police is on a look-out for the other three militants and necessary legal proceedings are in progress to complete the investigation, the spokesman said.

On the other hand, the security forces on Wednesday launched a search and cordon operation in the Shopian district of the state.

As per reports, the search operation was launched in Malik Mohalla in Wathoo today after inputs about the presence of militants in the area.